They say all politics is local, and Wednesday that was never more true for an assistant state’s attorney who moonlights as a political consultant.

Del. Herb McMillan testified in support of his legislation that would require Assistant State’s Attorney Lawrence Scott choose between his part-time work as an assistant state’s attorney or his political consulting and lobbying work. The bill went before the House of Delegates Environment and Transportation Committee Wednesday.

Scott is a popular political operative who helped State’s Attorney Wes Adams and County Executive Steve Schuh ascend to their positions back in 2014. He got a job in Adams’ office after his 2014 campaign victory.

This legislation closes an ethics loophole within State’s Attorney’s Offices throughout the state that leaves contractual employees out of rules set under state public ethics laws, McMillan said.

“When you have someone who is a political consultant on all three levels, a lobbyist on two of them, that presents a large conflict of interest when they are holding a taxpayer-funded position,” McMillan said. “This bill closes a loophole that allows an inappropriate situation to exist. It is legal, but I don’t believe it is ethical for a lobbyist to be holding a taxpayer-funded position.”

House Bill 1330 would count a contractual or temporary employee in the state’s attorney’s — compensated at a particular rate — as a public official and prohibit public officials from working or having a financial interest in “political consulting services to state or local officials or candidates,” according to the legislation.

McMillan had to amend the bill after learning that Scott wasn’t a contractual employee, despite the Anne Arundel State’s Attorney’s Office calling him that for years.

While the bill doesn’t specifically mention lobbying, McMillan said the change would not allow Scott to work as a lobbyist or do political consulting work because it makes him a public official, who are not allowed to be registered lobbyists.

The bill also would impact all other public officials already listed in the law, prohibiting them from doing political consultant work. The contracted or temporary state’s attorney employees would not have to file a financial disclosure form like other public officials, according to the legislation.

Scott did not respond to a request for comment. He made $155,500 as a lobbyist between Nov. 1, 2016 and Oct. 31, 2017. He listed himself as an employee of Scott Strategies in 2016 as part of a $200 donation to Schuh’s campaign, according to campaign finance records.

Scott has said his wife, Francine Scott, owns the company but Scott has been listed in campaign finance reports as doing consulting work for the business.

Scott has worked in the state’s attorney office since January 2015, starting as the highest-paid assistant state’s attorney. His position was reclassified as a part-time hourly job and during that time the State’s Attorney Office said he is a contractual employee. He makes about $65 an hour.

Under Maryland’s Public Ethics law, state employees can’t be lobbyists save for a few exemptions, such as those serving on boards and commissions or contracted employees, according to a 2014 State Ethics Commission memo. County law prevents county employees from lobbying with clients that do business with Anne Arundel County.

The Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office is a state entity, but employee salaries are paid by the county.

When he was labeled a contractor, Scott wouldn’t be subject to the conflict of interest provision of the state’s Public Ethics Law.

But when The Capital sought Scott’s contract, a spokeswoman for the Anne Arundel State’s Attorney’s Office said Scott had been incorrectly identified as a contractual employee. Instead he is a temporary employee who can’t work more than 1,500 hours a year.

When asked about the legislation and its impact on Scott, Adams’ comments were brief.

“I am confident that the legislature will weigh the full legal merits of this bill,” he said.

Adams’ opponent in the Republican primary, Kathy Rogers, said she supports McMillan’s bill and believes it is unethical for Scott to hold a lobbyist position, work as a political consultant and serve as an assistant state’s attorney.

Anne Colt Leitess, the Democratic candidate for state’s attorney, said she also supports the bill.

“The idea of getting politics out of the State’s Attorney’s Office is a good idea,” Leitess said.

In regards to Scott, he declined to comment and he pointed to the commission’s memo on contractual employees. When informed Scott was not a contractual employee, Lord again declined to comment.

Scott has been an active participant in Anne Arundel County Republican politics for years and has been linked to his wife’s firm. Schuh’s campaign paid Scott Strategies more $200,000 in his bid for county executive. Scott continues to serve as a campaign adviser to Schuh.

In 2017 the Caucus of African-American Leaders filed formal complaints with the Maryland State Ethics Commission, Office of the State Prosector and Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities. They asked the bodies to investigate payments made by a slate of sitting judges to Scott Strategies. Published outcomes of those complaints were not listed online.

The political consultant has made some other moves in the county as well. He is currently involved with a proposed development of Bohlman Farm in Arnold.

The project would redevelop several homes on the property, but residents are uneasy about Scott’s involvement because of his relationship to the county executive. Residents from the community said Scott has told them he owns the land although his name is not listed.

County officials have said they are treating the project just like they would any other.

CAPTION

Here are some key projects with designs and talks underway.

Here are some key projects with designs and talks underway.

CAPTION

Here are some key projects with designs and talks underway.

Here are some key projects with designs and talks underway.

CAPTION

Severn School 10th grade student Mackenzie Boughey, 16, has organized a local March For Our Lives Annapolis rally to coincided with the national March For Our Lives rally taking place March 24 in Washington D.C.

Severn School 10th grade student Mackenzie Boughey, 16, has organized a local March For Our Lives Annapolis rally to coincided with the national March For Our Lives rally taking place March 24 in Washington D.C.